The USA National Kickboxing Team hosted their elite training camp for athletes slated to compete at the Junior World Championships in Budapest, Hungary this August.  Training camp was held June 29-30th in Clearwater, Florida at American Mixed Martial Arts. Competitors from across the nation assembled for two days of conditioning, mental focus, and training with the national USA Kickboxing coaching staff.  David Bybee, a 3x World Kickboxing Champion and Director of Coaches hosted the event.  Tatami Head Coach El Java Abdul-Qadir, along with Dawn Roffey, Chris Walker, Bill Viola Jr., and Damian Rodriguez set out a strategic plan to prepare the squad of 60 hopefuls as they prepare for the Olympic-style competition.    The staff brought in the current WAKO World Champions to help lead the sessions, including Bailey Murphy, arguably the pound-for-pound best point fighter in the world.  He shared experience and drills that helped him climb the top of the sparring ladder, while his WAKO USA Teammate, Tyreeke Saint, offered his competitive outlook and training tips. From a female perspective, World Champion Ki’Tana Evereett was on hand to inspire the next generation of female fighters. According to  Bill Viola Jr  (WAKO USA Tatami Chairman) “A great deal of credit needs to be given to El Java [Abdul-Qadir].  He is such a passionate coach and was the backbone of our camp.  USA is in good hands under his direction.”       The team is in contention for WAKO (World Association of Kickboxing Organizations) Junior World Championships titles.  The championships will be held in Budapest, Hungary August 23-September 1st at BOK Sports Hall. Viola Jr. says,  “This is the largest junior team the United States has sent to a WAKO World Championship, and we are confident that our superstars like Bailey and Ty are giving them an edge. The energy on the tatami and motivation was contagious all weekend. To win at the next level, fighter IQ plays a huge role.  Ty and Bailey are two of the best in the business, so our team was in good hands.”  Viola’s daughter, Gabby, is representing USA as an older cadet (13-15 years old) category and explains, “I loved the camp because I got to fight the older female competitors and they pushed me to be my best.” Viola Jr. continues, “Besides our junior athletes like Gabby headed to Budapest, we are sending senior athletes to Chile [Vina del Mar] in October. Tatami champions from Chile will earn a slot in the prestigious  World Games  in Chengdu, China [August 2025]. We are truly making a mark around the world. We are the Olympic movement for Kickboxing in the United States. If you want to compete at the highest level of professionalism for sport karate, WAKO USA is leading the charge.”  USA Kickboxing is the only U.S. organization in the sport of kickboxing to have IOC (International Olympic Committee) & AOC (American Olympic Committee) recognition. The athletes compete at the highest of levels, qualifying in our National Championship Tournaments to earn their spots on the team to compete internationally at the Pan-American Championships, World Games and the World Combat Games. WAKO USA serves as the gateway to the Olympics. The World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (WAKO) is the National Governing Body for the sport under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee.  Bill Viola Jr. continues, “The current junior team will be at the perfect age for a potential Kickboxing debut at the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane, Australia. We are a recognized Olympic sport; we just need to gain medal status.  Fingers crossed, we hope to get voted in for Australia.”    WAKO league alternates with Junior and Senior World Championships every other year.  In 2023 The 2023 Senior Worlds was represented with 70 countries and 1,670 athletes.  The United States sent 49 entries and 23 coaches 13 medals, 5 being gold.  In 2025, the Adult Team members set sight on Abu Dhabi.  Viola adds, “We are a non-profit entity and not subsidized by the USA; that is a heavy financial burden.  Other countries fund their athletes to compete, so we are looking for new partnerships and sponsors to continue sending the best America has to offer on a global scale.

The latest updated UFC rankings across all divisions are here. Check out the dramatic shifts following the explosive fights at UFC 303: Pereira vs Procházka 2 during International Fight Week. Eight divisions, men’s pound-for-pound, women’s pound-for-pound, flyweight, featherweight, welterweight, light heavyweight, women’s bantamweight, and strawweight – saw significant changes after UFC 303. Men’s Pound-For-Pound Light Heavyweight champion Alex Pereira's stunning knockout of Jiří Procházka in the main event of UFC 303 catapulted him two spots up to No. 2 in the pound-for-pound rankings. This major win pushed Jon Jones to No. 3 and Leon Edwards to No. 4. Women’s Pound-For-Pound Bantamweight champion Raquel Pennington dropped to No. 6, while Kayla Harrison surged to No. 13 and Ketlen Vieira slipped to No. 14. Flyweight Despite no ranked flyweight bouts at UFC 303, Cody Durden rose to No. 14, and Sumudaerji entered the rankings at No. 15. Featherweight Brian Ortega's withdrawal led to Dan Ige stepping in against Diego Lopes, who triumphed and climbed two spots to No. 12. Bryce Mitchell fell to No. 13, and Ige dropped to No. 14. Welterweight Ian Machado Garry's victory over Michael ‘Venom’ Page didn't affect his ranking, but MVP moved up to No. 13, tying with Vicente Luque. Light Heavyweight Carlos Ulberg, despite withdrawing from his bout against Anthony Smith, moved up to No. 10. Smith dropped to No. 11 after a loss to Roman Dolidze, and Dominick Reyes fell to No. 13. Women’s Bantamweight A shakeup followed Macy Chiasson's win over Mayra Bueno Silva. Chiasson rose to No. 5, Irene Aldana to No. 4, and Harrison to No. 3. Bueno Silva fell to No. 6, with Holly Holm, Karol Rosa, and Miesha Tate adjusting to No. 7, No. 8, and No. 9, respectively. Strawweight Gillian Robertson's victory over Michelle Waterson-Gomez bumped her to No. 13. Iasmin Lucindo fell to No. 14, and Waterson-Gomez to No. 15. Stay tuned for more updates as these fighters continue to shake up the UFC landscape!

The stars came out to play at ONE Friday Fights 68 as a stacked lineup thrilled the Bangkok, Thailand, audience. The night was capped off by a thrilling main event that went down to the wire. Here are the detailed results of ONE Friday Fights 68. Prajanchai PK Saenchai had to weather an early storm from former king Jonathan Di Bella, but the Thai star overcame the Italian-Canadian by unanimous decision to become the ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Champion. Di Bella started strong in the opening rounds, but Prajanchai began finding his range in the third round. As more lefts and kicks began to land, the points tallied in favor of the host nation’s athlete. The closely contested match left fans split on who won, but the judges gave it to Prajanchai in the end. Superlek Kiatmoo9 returned to his Muay Thai roots for the co-main event. The Thai star bested the surging Kongthoranee Sor Sommai for a unanimous decision win to affirm his status as the #1-ranked flyweight contender. Kiamran Nabati notched a six-figure contract with ONE Championship by flattening Suablack Tor Pran49 inside the first round. A counter-left hook crashed into Suablack’s jaw, putting him down for the count. Former ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Petchtanong Petchfergus returned in style against Alaverdi Ramazanov with a second-round TKO. The power and pace put forth wilted the Russian and left him unable to meet the referee’s demands, forcing him to stop the action. The former king now returns as one of the division’s most feared contenders. Pakorn PK Saenchai made his promotional debut at ONE Friday Fights 68 and delivered as many fans thought he might. The Thai star needed just 2:15 to oust Rafi Bohic by knockout and begin his ONE journey with a bang. Suriyanlek Por Yenying earned a first-round knockout over Pompet PK Saenchai in their 132-pound catchweight affair. Suriyanlek pressured from the opening bell, and Pompet was never able to match his foe before the final blow came. Ryota Hashimoto got off to a slow start against Yuto Ueno, but he was able to turn it around in a major way. It looked like it may be an easy night for Ueno after the first minute, but Hashimoto found his bearings and uncorked a right hand that put his Japanese compatriot away at the 2:05 mark of the first round. If you missed any of the action, ONE Friday Fights 68 is available on-demand at watch.onefc.com . ONE Friday Fights 68 Full Results Prajanchai PK Saenchai def. Jonathan Di Bella by unanimous decision Superlek Kiatmoo9 def. Kongthoranee Sor Sommai by unanimous decision Kiamran Nabati def. Suablack Tor Pran49 by knockout at 1:54 of the first round Petchtanong Petchfergus def. Alaverdi Ramazanov by TKO at 1:59 of the second round Shadow Singha Mawynn def. Jimmy Vienot by unanimous decision Pakorn PK Saenchai def. Rafi Bohic by knockout at 2:15 of the first round Tyson Harrison def. Sibmuen by split decision Yodlekpet Or Atchariya def. Komawut FA Group by unanimous decision Suriyanlek Por Yenying def. Pompet PK Saenchai by knockout at 2:50 of the first round Kaito Sakaguchi def. Lan Shanteng by unanimous decision Kohei Wakabayashi def. Sanlang Gexi by split decision Ryota Hashimoto def. Yuto Ueno by knockout at 2:05 of the first round

No! There is no UFC Event slated to be held on Saturday - July 6, 2024. The Next UFC Event is slated to be held on Saturday, July 13 at the Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado, United States - UFC Fight Night: Namajunas vs. Cortez

Luke Lessei will be looking to build off of his first ONE Championship win on Friday, July 5, at ONE Fight Night 23. The American star has already earned notoriety in ONE action, but he hopes to string together wins that will put him in the mix for title consideration. The next roadblock in his way will be Bampara Kouyate. And Lessei is preparing to send him packing. “I’m gonna beat the brakes off this dude. I’m gonna go in there and show that there’s absolutely levels to this creativity and this muay femur game that everyone’s talking about,” Lessei told ONE. Lessei debuted against “Smokin” Jo Nattawut in an instant classic. However, “The Chef” does not want to display that same kind of slugfest in every subsequent bout. The American wants to show the world his technical acumen as much as his warrior spirit. “I’m hoping every fight gets a little more technical because then I can show my actual flight IQ and my skills. My last few fights, I’ve kinda been showing my Midwest mentality, my toughness, good stuff here and there,” the American remarked. “But this guy, Bampara Kouyate, he’s like 6-foot-2, same height as me, a muay femur. So he’s technical. He likes to wait, counter, set up techniques, and that’s the same as me.” “I love a good chess match.” As Lessei looks up the mountain, he knows he has to impress to be seen as a legitimate top contender. At ONE Fight Night 23, he plans to leave no doubt about his status and put forth a highlight-reel effort. “I always wanna make the decision on who wins and who loses. My decision, not the judges’. So I’m going for the knockout. Every single time, I’m going for the knockout whether I get it or not,” Lessei stated. “You best believe, even until the very end, I’m trying to set something up. I’m trying to put this dude to sleep for sure. And if not, guess what? It’s probably gonna be another barnburner.” Lessei’s lifelong work to get to this point has been helped by his father, who has also coached him along his journey. In Bangkok, his father will be in his corner, helping him take the next step forward in a highly competitive featherweight division. For “The Chef,” having his father there is an important part of ONE Fight Night 23. “Me and my dad have been working really hard. It’s gonna be a culmination of all the s*** that we’ve been cooking up for years,” Lessei said. “Me and my dad, it’s just me and him going solo. He’s gonna be cornering me out in Thailand. Father and son, we’re gonna beat this guy’s a**.” ONE Fight Night 23 airs live on Prime Video at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT to all Amazon Prime subscribers based in the U.S. and Canada on Friday, July 5.

My obsession with Miyamoto Musashi began when I was 13 years old, right after my sensei gave me a copy of Go Rin No Sho, The Book of Five Rings. It was while researching Musashi that I first ran across the name Jocko Willink — I discovered an episode of his Jocko Podcast dedicated to the samurai and his writings. For the first time, I got to listen to an analysis of Musashi by someone who had faced enemies in war and seen death up close. You see, Willink is a former Navy SEAL lieutenant commander who led his team in the battle for Ramadi during the Iraq War. He’s the recipient of the Silver Star and the Bronze Star. He’s also a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. Listening to that podcast, it was as if Willink was channeling Musashi. The message of both men is so powerful because each describes a warrior’s experiences. It’s not a message gleaned from a book, not one learned from a teacher. Musashi himself said, “I have no teacher in anything,” and when you listen to Willink speak, you hear the same truth. That’s why I jumped at the opportunity to interview him for Black Belt. It’s my hope that you gain as much from our conversation as I did. How did you become interested in Miyamoto Musashi? Was it before, during or after your military service?  It was during my service. You get interested in Musashi when you hear about a guy who fought 60-plus sword fights — most of them to the death — and won them all and wrote about it. So when you spend your life like I did in the combat arena, you try to listen to people who have knowledge to pass on to you. You both give a first-person perspective on combat. That brings a completely different value to the teachings. In your experience, what one lesson really stood out? Being able to step back and detach and not get caught up in emotions. To me, this is the underlying thing that led to the rest of the discoveries I made about leadership and life. They are all founded on the fact that I am not going to get caught up in emotions. I am going to step back and see what is happening. Most of us cannot begin to understand some of the observations that you made during war. In that place of chaos, how do people get ahold of their emotions and direct themselves with focus?  It starts off with something you have to be conscious of. I tell people to physically step back. Before you can do it mentally, you have to train your mind by doing it physically. If there is some problem going on, physically step back. If you are in an argument with a co-worker or your spouse, physically step back and take a breath. Put your hands to your side, open your chest and take a breath. This is the opposite of a fighting stance. When you put your hands down and lift up your chin, you open up and are exposing yourself. The opposite is getting in combat mode by lifting your hands and tucking your chin. You don’t want to do that. You want to see more, not less. When you go into combat mode, you see less.  What you want to do is see everything that is happening. You want to look around. By physically taking a step back, physically turning your head to take a look around and physically taking a breath, you detach from the situation. When you speak, make sure you are speaking in a calm voice. In the SEAL Teams, it is sort of a sin to sound panicked on the radio, so I would always make sure when I got on the radio, I was talking in a calm voice and not in a complete and utter panic. Musashi said, “Understand the harm and benefit in everything, learn to see everything accurately, become aware of what is not obvious.” Do you regard this as stepping back and detaching? That is 100 percent. How accurately do you see things when you are super emotional? How accurately do you see things when you are right in them? It is like watching a football game: Anyone sitting in the stands can tell the quarterback what he should have done because they can see the big opening and the open player. The quarterback didn’t see it. Why? Because he is on the field, in the game. That is life. If you spend your whole time caught up with what’s going on on the field, you won’t see the bigger picture. So take a step back, detach, breathe and look around. When you see more, you’ll perform better. You’ll make better decisions. When we detach and get into the flow, time feels like it slows down. There is no thinking. You are 100 percent the observer. What has your experience in this state been? For me, that has been the goal all of the time, especially going into combat. I have to be in that mode where I am watching from the outside and I am seeing the big picture. Even if I get sucked into a tactical problem like a gunfight, I’m still the leader. I’m not supposed to be engaging targets. I’m supposed to be leading. I might have to crack off some rounds, provide cover for someone, engage a target, but once I have done that, my immediate goal is take a step back and survey the scene. In my experience, you do have to really watch out for it because you can easily get sucked into things. But if you train yourself properly, when these pressure situations arise, you will be able to get in, handle the problem, and immediately step back out and detach from the situation so you can see the bigger picture. For martial artists who don’t have combat experience, how do you teach them to adapt and overcome? You want to train as realistically as possible. That means putting yourself in tough situations and bad situations. The more you put yourself in uncomfortable situations, the more you realize that panicking and getting emotional is not helpful. You have to relax. You have to do this repeatedly so you learn cognitively what you need to do when these situations are unfolding. I think martial arts, especially martial arts where you can spar with other humans, is a great way to put yourself in situations where you need to control your emotions. Another similarity you share with Musashi is discipline. You say that discipline is equal to freedom. How does one find freedom in discipline? Well, I wrote Discipline Equals Freedom because they are contrary. People would think that freedom is the opposite of discipline, but that is not true. If you want to have freedom, you have to have discipline. I am not the first person to say this; I might be the first person to use those specific words. It’s written throughout history — people have said the same thing. If you want financial freedom, you need financial discipline. If you want more free time, you need more disciplined time management. If you want physical freedom, you have to have the discipline to work out, train and eat healthy. So if you have discipline in your life, you will end up with more freedom. Another one of your books is Extreme Ownership. How did that title come about? The title came from me explaining to someone that you cannot pass blame to anyone else. You have to take ownership when things go wrong. An extreme version of that is extreme ownership. That means that everything that goes wrong when you are in a leadership position is your fault. What makes a good leader? Good leaders are humble, and bad leaders are not humble. Bad leaders think that they know everything, that their way of doing things is the best. They don’t take any input from anybody else. A good leader has an open mind and listens to what others have to say. They don’t think they know everything and are always open to new solutions to problems. The difference between a good leader and a bad leader is a matter of humility. Can this be cultivated, or do you have to already possess it? It can definitely be cultivated. Jiu-jitsu is really good at humbling people. You may think you are a big tough guy, and then you get on the mat and get choked out by somebody that is 50 pounds lighter than you. You realize you didn’t know everything you thought you knew. That is one of the reasons I really like jiu-jitsu: It is a very humbling thing to be engaged in. Why do some people quit when they get humbled or when they feel uncomfortable? Unfortunately, people’s egos get involved. Nobody likes to get tapped out. No one likes to get beat. So they try to go through the rest of their lives avoiding difficult situations. That is unfortunately a bad idea, and it’s pretty sad. It’s not just in jiu- jitsu. If you have ever boxed with a good boxer or a good muay Thai fighter, you are going to feel the exact same way. If you let your ego run your life and say to yourself, “I got beat, I don’t like getting beat, I’m never going to do that again!” — that’s why people end up going one or two times to jiu-jitsu or to muay Thai and never go back. Rickson Gracie said, “Make yourself comfortable in uncomfortable situations.” When you are training students, how do you get them to overcome discomfort? I trained with Rickson Gracie in the mid-’90s. One day when we got done, when he got done smashing and annihilating me like a child, his compliment to me was, “You are very comfortable in uncomfortable positions.” Even though I was getting smashed, I tried to relax and utilize the techniques that I knew at the time. It is definitely a good attitude to have: If there are things that make you uncomfortable, move toward those things and do them as much as you can until you get comfortable with them. In your book The Dichotomy of Leadership, you talk a lot about balance. How would you describe balance for martial artists? To me, that means you don’t have extreme opinions or make extreme moves. If you go to an extreme in one direction or another, that is going to throw you off-balance, and you are very seldom going to be correct. You must maintain your balance in jiu-jitsu, wrestling or any martial art. If you throw a punch too hard, you will lose your balance and your opponent will capitalize on that. If you overcommit to something, you will telegraph it and your opponent will capitalize on it. It is the same with leadership: If you overdo something, it’s going to be out of balance, and it is going to cause problems. So don’t hang out in the extremes; keep it in the middle. Is balance a 50-50 thing, or is it more of a shifting-and-adapting thing? You have to modulate your actions. If someone is pushing against you, you have to push back somewhat. Otherwise, you will fall over. But if you push back with everything you’ve got and they step away, you are going to fall over. So you have to modulate according to the situation you are in. What keeps you growing and evolving as a martial artist? My training partners. It’s a constant war. Every time I go in, am I going to catch them or are they going to catch me? If I work harder, maybe I can catch them. If they work harder, maybe I am going to get caught. It’s the joy of training. It’s very fun [and] very consequential because when you lose, you know what that really means. When you tap out, if you actually think about what that really means, you don’t want that to happen. When that does happen, that is your opportunity to learn and try to prevent that particular thing from happening again. My main training partner has been multiple-world-champion Dean Lister. He is better than I am, so that means I get tapped out all of the time. That is fine; it doesn’t bother me. I like it and will keep training and keep getting better. In your opinion, what is the X factor that makes a good martial artist? It’s different things for different people. You can have someone that is insanely flexible or insanely strong or has crazy natural cardio, and that can make them good. You can have people that have a natural mind for a particular part of the game. There are people who have a natural mind for grap- pling but not a natural mind for striking. Some people have a natural mind for striking but not a natural mind for grappling. There are people who have a natural mind for mixing all of these things together in mixed martial arts, and there are some people who have a hard time mixing everything together. In the effort to become a good martial artist, focus often is placed on techniques. In your opinion, are transitions being neglected? Yes. When I was a white or blue belt, I watched my first BJJ instructor Fabio Santos training with Jeff Higgs. Fabio got mounted, and as Jeff was mounting, Fabio was already escaping. That was the first time I realized how he was so far ahead. What a normal person does when starting jiu-jitsu is this: Someone mounts you, then you think about what to do and then you start your mount escape. And that is actually what you get taught. You don’t get taught to escape during the transition. You have to develop that on your own. These moments of transitions are the keys to success. When I read Musashi, Marcus Aurelius, Sun Tzu and some of your work, I read about death being a great teacher. For those of us who have not observed death, what can we learn from your experiences? What does death have to teach us about life? Being in combat, you definitely realize the fragility of life. You have to accept death. I’m not saying you are not going to fight, that you are not going to try to live. I’m not trying to say that your life isn’t important. In fact, it’s the opposite: Your life is important and you are going to die. It’s going to happen, so you better take advantage of the life you have. For me especially, losing my friends in combat, young guys, the best guys in the world — when you live through that, you realize how precious life is. You accept death, but you move forward in life and do everything you can to make it a good life. You understand the finality of it all. You understand that there is no escape. The worst thing that can happen to me is that I am going to die. I don’t know when, but I know I am. So I am not going to worry about it. I am not going to be afraid of it. I am going to be ready for it. And the way you are ready for it is by living a good life. What happens if we cannot let go of our fear of death? If you have someone that is really scared of dying, it is going to be hard for them to focus on doing their job. If you have someone who is scared of death, they will not function as well as someone that accepts death as a reality and as a possibility and even as a likelihood. So definitely [it’s about] getting your mindset to a point where you understand what can happen, you understand the consequences, you understand the outcomes and you are OK with it. Now you can focus on doing your job. Fear debilitates a lot of people. There are real fears, like the ones you have faced, and then there are projected fears, like people being afraid of the opinions of others. How do you help people overcome fear? The way you do it is by exposing yourself to those fears. If, for example, you are afraid of the water, first just come to the river and look at it. The next time, you step in it. The next time, you go in up to your knees. The next time, you go in up to your waste, then up to your head. The next time, you step into the deep water and step right back. Then you start learning the stroke. Expose yourself to the things that are making you afraid, and you will realize there is nothing to be afraid of. If you could give one message to martial artists, what would it be? The message I always talk about is staying humble. If that is your mindset — you stay humble, you don’t think you know everything, you stay open to change — that is the most positive way to go through life. That is the most positive way to get growth in your life. Think about training in martial arts: If you think you know everything, you stop learning. So let martial arts be a guide for your entire life. Have an open mind and listen to what other people say. If people have good ideas, incorporate those good ideas into what you know. If you do that in your life, you will end up in a good spot. Listening to you now, I hear the parallels with Musashi again. Musashi said, “The true science of martial arts means practicing them in such a way that they will be useful at any time and teaching them in such a way that they will be useful in all things.” What are your thoughts on that? If you know the way broadly, you can see it in all things. That is absolutely true. For me, seeing and understanding jiu-jitsu gave me an understanding of combat, it gave me an understanding of human nature and it gave me an understanding of leadership. When I talk about all those things, they are all absolutely connected by a common thread. They are all the same; they all have the same premises. The reason I recognized those similarities, which then allowed me to see them with more clarity, was jiu-jitsu. In jiu-jitsu, I learned that if I want your arm, I will attack your neck, and then when you defend your neck, I will take your arm. I know that on the battlefield, if I want to take your position, I need to attack you from the front — but then I need to send a flanking element around to your flank, and that is how I will take your position. I know that as a leader, if you have an ego and are dug into an idea and are sticking to your idea, if I attack your idea, you are not going to relent. But if I massage your ego a little bit and come in from a different angle and plant a seed that you think that my idea is your idea, I can win in that situation. I can influence you in the proper direction. [This is] just one example of the unified connections and principles that link all of these things. The reason I figured these things out was I saw them first through the simple, undeniable methodologies of jiu-jitsu. [When we] find something that works, if our ego is so big that we can’t accept it, then we will lose. But if we accept it and see the good in a new technique, a new form or new method, if we open our mind and learn it and incorporate it into our game, not only will it not defeat us anymore [but also] we can use it to defeat others. To read more from this interview with Jocko Willink, visit blackbeltmag.com .  This article originally appeared in a 2020 edition of Black Belt Magazine. READ MORE: Drills to Learn Martial Arts Breathe Like a Martial Artist Essentials for Beginners in Self-Defense

On Learning the Basics Before You Learn How to Throw Fake Punches and Kicks “In shotokan, we start off the beginners just standing up and making sure their feet are in the correct position so they get the proper feeling of going in a straight line. After that, we put them in the front stance and say, ‘You have to make sure your feet are in the correct position to start the punch because if you’re doing a reverse punch and your foot is too far out, you can’t turn your hips. And you can’t turn your shoulders, which makes you struggle and strain and you lose a lot of that range you will need to use when you begin to learn how to fake and want to do so with a realistic punch.’” On Whether His Methodology Is Like “Wax on, Wax off” in Karate Kid “Some students can learn that way — by working on the foundation of faking without knowing it necessarily — but sometimes you have to actually show them why. I say, ‘Look, if I punch you like this, I can only reach this far, but if I do it this way, then I can reach you.’ Once I touch them, they get it. Being able to reach someone is the key to throwing a believable fake.” On Using Fakes to Fight Smart “Sometimes in a match, you can tire somebody out by using so many fakes that the person gets worn down. Then you think, OK, I got it now! And you pour on the pressure. “In this way, you’re so much smarter, especially if you have to go against a bigger guy. We have some big guys here — powerful guys. I don’t want to trade blows with them. I don’t want to go in there and see how fast my punches are. So I keep on faking them, and they get so tired that they’re huffing and puffing. Afterward, I say, ‘You know what I did to you? I just made you tired with- out throwing any real techniques.’” On Whether Experience Trumps Fakes “If it’s a believable fake, you have to be within range and you have to go from being totally relaxed to going 100 miles an hour — and then pull back before you make contact. Most times, your opponent will react to this even if he’s experienced. That’s because he will never know if it’s the real thing or not. But if it’s a slow fake or if you’re too far away, he’s not going to take it seriously. He won’t react. “I’ve trained with some experienced fighters who will fall for a fake most times. They try to use the same tactics on me, and it doesn’t work usually because it’s not believable. They’re throwing it just for the heck of it. I say, ‘It has got to be believable! If you’re going to throw a jab, make me think you’re going to attack. You’ve got to sell it.’” On the Importance of Range When Trying to Sell It “If you want to sell a fake with your hands, you have to throw the jab deep. Otherwise, he’s not going to bite. The key is to throw a fast fake that uses your whole snap so he will move back to avoid getting hit. Success depends on how well it’s done, which means doing it so your fist could make contact if you wanted. “Sometimes your opponent thinks you’re going to fake but you don’t. He’s waiting for a fake, maybe because you’ve used a lot of them, and then all of a sudden, boom, you catch him with the punch. This is high level. People who can use techniques like this are the ones I really like to watch because what they do is so purposeful — unlike those who jump around everywhere, throwing fakes that everybody knows would never connect because they don’t have the range. They’re not believable. Nobody falls for it.” On Hands Versus Feet “Faking with a movement of a foot takes more energy than using the hands. If you’re going to fake with an actual kick, you have to pull your leg up, which takes even more energy. In contrast, faking with the hands is quicker and uses less energy. You can even do a double fake with your hands. Sometimes I will do a fake using my whole body, but the end result is coming up with my hands.”  On Hand Position “I like to keep my hands up so my opponent doesn’t know if I’m going to do a jab, a reverse punch or a fake. From the same position, I can also throw a kick.” On Whether You Should Practice Combinations That Include Fakes “In traditional shotokan, they would just do reverse punches. You didn’t see too many fakes because that was a different time. It was more of a macho sport back then where you just pressed and waited for the guy. As soon as he came in, boom, you just threw reverse punches to see who was stronger. “But now it’s more of a sport. You have to change the rhythm and use more advanced tactics. Otherwise, the guy who’s stronger is most likely to win. Now, you have to use your brain and some strategy. Depend- ing on what you want him to do, you have to use fakes where you get the guy’s hands to go out or to the side. You could even use a simple sweep as a fake because once he feels your foot on his ankle, he’ll react. Sometimes I’ll throw a fake sweep and then come up with a mawashi geri so his attention’s over here and his head is left open. It’s all about what you want him to think and to expect.” On Using Fakes to Assess “Sometimes I’ll throw a fake just to see how fast some- body is, and from there, I’ll gauge him. I’ll assess his ability. Where is he open? That’s important because some guys are just so open that it’s easy — you don’t really have to use a fake. You just go right in. “However, if he’s a stalker who’s just waiting for you, you’ve got to throw his rhythm off. Fake him somehow! Do a fast punch. If that doesn’t work, do a kick. Sometimes a side thrust will work because your body stays in this general area while the leg goes in. In contrast, with a punch, your whole body has to go in.” On Going High Before Going Low and Vice Versa “You can do that, but you don’t have to. Most of the time, you just want to throw your opponent off. You just want them to lock up and give you an opening because once they freeze, it doesn’t matter what caused that to happen. If their hands are high or low, it’s still an opening for you. It’s just a matter of them being in a frozen state for a split second.” On Whether That Frozen State Is Mental or Physical “I think it’s both because they’re reacting, and reacting is mental and physical. The key, if someone tries this on you, is how well you rebound from their fake. I teach my students that if somebody fakes them out, they don’t want to be stuck here. They have to come back to that kamai stance and be ready so they don’t have any gaps in their defense. React the right way and come back right away.” On the Expectation of Being Hit “When you use a fake, some people will brace for the hit. Their muscles will contract, and they’ll pause. Others will just be stuck there without contracting — like there’s a little mental gap and they don’t know what to do because maybe they didn’t cover that in training.” On Those Contracting Muscles Burning Up Energy “Absolutely that’s what happens. It’s like if somebody hooks you up to one of those electrical stimulators that’s supposed to promote muscle growth. Your muscles will tire out eventually. “Faking is a mental game that affects the physical body. That’s why we use long matches that teach people how to move more efficiently with the techniques they might use in a tournament because everything is different when you’re tired. If you’re tired and somebody lands a good punch or kick — or sweeps you and chokes you — it’s hard to recover from that.” On Those Long Sparring Matches “If it’s just me and one student, I’ll stay with the person for 30 to 40 minutes while throwing real kicks and punches along with fakes. If it’s a few of us, we’ll go maybe 10 minutes and then switch partners. When I find that they’re very tired, I use even more fakes. Also, I pair them up strategically — this person looks good against that person, especially if one’s a puncher and one’s a kicker or if one does a lot of fakes and the other throws no fakes at all. “I’ve found that this method, which exposes them to as much variety as possible under adverse conditions, is the best way to teach something as important as fakes.” For more information about Kyle Funakoshi, visit fska.com . Record: 69-6 with 61 KOs

Who are the top rookies lighting up the Octagon in the first half of 2024? Dive into our highly unofficial half-year nominees for the breakout stars making waves this year... Kayla Harrison It might seem strange to label the two-time Olympic gold medalist and longtime PFL standout as a newcomer, but Kayla Harrison's UFC debut in 2024 was nothing short of spectacular. Making her entrance at UFC 300 in April, Harrison scored a dominant second-round finish against former world champion Holly Holm. With just one fight, Harrison has already positioned herself as a title contender. The rest of the year promises to be exciting as she continues her journey. Vinicius Oliveira Vinicius Oliveira, a seasoned veteran, made a striking entrance to the UFC this year. After earning his contract on Dana White’s Contender Series last September, the 28-year-old bantamweight made a splash with a double bonus-winning knockout of Benardo Sopaj in March. He followed that impressive performance with a victory over Ricky Simon, positioning himself as a rising star and knocking on the door of the Top 15. Felipe Lima Former Oktagon MMA bantamweight champion Felipe Lima couldn't resist a short notice offer to fight surging Muhammad Naimov in June. Despite moving up a weight class, Lima delivered a stunning third-round submission victory. His performance at 135 pounds makes him a serious threat in the bantamweight division. Jean Silva Jean Silva's weight miss last weekend didn't overshadow his memorable year. With a first-round stoppage of Westin Wilson in January and the first knockout loss handed to Charles Jourdain at UFC 303, Silva is proving to be a formidable force. His talent, power, and charisma will serve him well in the crowded featherweight division. Carlos Prates Carlos Prates, a veteran with 22 fights under his belt, won his contract on Dana White’s Contender Series and made a seamless UFC debut in February. His knockout of Trevin Giles earned him a Performance of the Night bonus. Four months later, he repeated the feat by knocking out Charles Radtke in the first round. The welterweight division is an interesting place, and “The Nightmare” is poised to make significant strides. Michael "Venom" Page Already an established star, Michael “Venom” Page made his UFC debut with challenging matchups against Kevin Holland and Ian Machado Garry. With a 1-1 record, defeating Holland and losing a decision to Machado Garry, Page's unorthodox striking style remains a threat in the welterweight division. Honorable Mentions Other fighters who made an impact include Hyder Amil, Danny Barlow, Oumar Sy, and Zhang Mingyang. Keep an eye on these names as they continue to rise through the ranks.

UFC 303 during International Fight Week left fans buzzing with intense action and dramatic moments inside T-Mobile Arena. The adrenaline-fueled night concluded with Alex Pereira delivering a jaw-dropping finish that sent shockwaves through the MMA community. The aftermath of UFC has been intensive. In just nine UFC fights, Pereira's achievements are unparalleled. The light heavyweight champion secured his fourth consecutive win and third straight finish by knocking out Jiri Procházka with a stunning switch kick early in the second round. The Brazilian powerhouse's technical prowess and ability to read and execute moves on the fly make him a formidable force inside the Octagon. Pereira's rapid rise is nothing short of extraordinary. He claimed his first UFC title a year after his debut and his second just 736 days after his first victory. His last six wins include defeating former champions like Sean Strickland, Israel Adesanya, Jan Blachowicz, Jamahal Hill, and Procházka twice. The speculation about Pereira using "black magic" to dominate his opponents highlights the mystique surrounding his meteoric rise. Despite his relatively short UFC career, Pereira is already being considered among the all-time greats. With talks of him potentially pursuing the heavyweight title, the possibility of him becoming the first to win titles in three weight classes looms large, further solidifying his legacy. The UFC 303 event also showcased incredible adaptability and professionalism. Diego Lopes was set to face Brian Ortega in the co-main event, but a last-minute change saw Dan Ige stepping in. The seamless execution by the production team, broadcast crew, and fighters underscored their dedication and skill. Dana White’s Contender Series graduates Jean Silva, Payton Talbott, and Vinicius Oliveira continued their winning streaks, showcasing the program's success in identifying top talent. Silva's victory over Charles Jourdain, Talbott's knockout of Yanis Ghemmouri, and Oliveira's decision win over Ricky Simon highlighted their potential. Roman Dolidze’s short-notice victory over Anthony Smith, Macy Chiasson’s rise in the bantamweight ranks, Ian Machado Garry's unbeaten streak, and Joe Pyfer’s knockout win emphasized the depth of talent in the UFC. With standout performances and unexpected twists, UFC 303 proved to be an unforgettable night, leaving fans eager for what's next in the world of MMA.

As the more astute among you will recall, Black Belt ran a piece in its December 2018/January 2019 issue titled “8 Things You Didn’t Know About James Lew” right after he won an Emmy for Outstanding Stunt Coordination in a Drama Series for Netflix’s Luke Cage. Within the article, Lew’s longtime kung fu buddy and perennial Hollywood bad guy Gerald Okamura chimed in with a little good-natured trash talking. At least, we hope it was good-natured — either way, readers loved it. WELL, THE TIME HAS COME, Okamura informs us, for the “Hard Master” to have his say. Okamura figures that if a whippersnapper like Lew can dazzle Black Belt’s readers with eight things they presumably didn’t know about him, he can certainly do the same. Actually, Okamura bets there are nine things you didn’t know about him. So brace yourselves, gentle readers. The road gets bumpy from here.  KUNG FU COWBOY: Although he has more than 91 film and television credits to his name, having appeared in everything from the original Kung Fu series (1972) to Blade (1998) to G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009), Okamura’s most iconic role — the one he gets recognized for most often — is as the pistol-packing Wing Kong tong hatchet man in 1986’s Big Trouble in Little China. The choice of a pair of gold-plated six-shooters was a bit of a surprise, even for him.  “I went into the audition with all these crazy, exotic kung fu weapons — I’m kind of known for that — and then I get the call that I got the job,” he recalls. “So when I show up, they go, ‘Here’s your weapons,’ and hand me a couple of gold cowboy guns. I was shocked!” As it turns out, the pair of six- shooters was one of two holdovers from the original Big Trouble script, which was written as a “kung fu Western” with a cowboy named Jack Burton embarking on a quest to retrieve his stolen horse in San Francisco’s Chinatown in the 1860s. Bonus factoid: The other holdover? “Cowboy” Jack Burton’s horse was named Pork Chop — which is why his stolen truck was named “The Pork Chop Express.” SPEAKING OF EXOTIC WEAPONS: Okamura designs and makes his own weapons, including his unique take on Chinese hooked swords, Japanese fighting chains concealed in otherwise innocent-looking necklaces, double daggers hidden in the back of a belt — the list goes on. “I stay up nights thinking of these things,” he says. He credits his training in kung fu san soo with having sparked his creativity when it comes to weaponry. “In san soo, you can use almost anything as a weapon,” he says. “Too many martial artists are close- minded about their training, and that limits the way they think. San soo opens the mind and helps you see all the opportunities around you.” SPEAKING OF REALLY EXOTIC WEAPONS: Perhaps Okamura’s “most unique” invention was called — wait for it — the two-pronged death dealer concealed in an empty tampon container. “Ah, yes,” he recalls. “I was work- ing with a guy who was looking to develop new tools for women’s self- defense. We liked the two spikes in the tampon container, but the lawyer had, shall we say, mixed feelings about it. So the idea was nixed.” HE USED TO FIGHT IN CHURCH: Although primarily known as a san soo master, Okamura got his martial start at age 12, learning judo from one Kawasaki sensei who taught at a local church in his hometown of Hilo, Hawaii. “Aikido was also taught in the church, but only certain students were invited to participate — so we would sneak in and watch,” he says. “You have to remember this was the 1950s, and martial arts training was much more secretive back then.” HE USED TO FIGHT IN LOTS OF PLACES: In addition to judo, Okamura also studied kendo at his local YMCA. Later, he was an enthusiastic student of taekwondo during his three-year stint in the U.S. Army. After finishing his tour and moving to the mainland in 1962, he found his “martial home” at Jimmy H. Woo’s san soo school in El Monte, California. YOU READ THAT RIGHT — GERALD OKAMURA IS A VETERAN: “I was stationed outside of Seoul, South Korea, as part of a military advisory group,” he recalls. “A lot of U.S. servicemen learned Korean martial arts during their stays over there — most famously Chuck Norris. “I was there a few years before Chuck, though, so we didn’t actually cross paths until I worked with him on The Octagon in 1980.” (Thank you for your service, sifu!) C’MON, VOGUE! Okamura is, quite probably, the only martial arts master/kung fu bad guy ever to be featured in a sexy fashion spread in Vogue magazine. Certainly, he’s the only member of the Wing Kong tong to roll in high fashion circles with top-tier supermodels. Why, with a single slice of his katana, Okamura could raise hakama hemlines on samurai all over the world! “Actually, it wasn’t as glamorous as all that,” he says. “I just happened to be on the beach for something in my black gi, and they were doing a big shoot for Vogue down there at the same time. The photographer called me over and asked if I wouldn’t mind posing. How can you say no to that?” SURE, JAMES LEW MIGHT HAVE WON AN EMMY, BUT ... Okamura is and forever will be the only actor in the his- tory of cinema ever to co-star on the big screen with both Robert Duvall (The Killer Elite, 1975) and Marilyn Chambers (Angel of H.E.A.T., 1983). Okamura concedes, however, that his good friend James Lew has outdone him in one non-Emmy category, and that is “number of appearances in a commercial wear- ing a pink tutu.” When it comes to pink tutu wearing, the score remains Lew 1, Okamura 0. ALL OVER THE INTERNET AND ALL OVER THE WORLD: Gerald Okamura “sticker sightings” have gone viral, as the cool kids like to say. Somewhere, somehow, someone got the idea of printing Okamura’s unique visage on stickers, plastering them on land- marks around the world and then posting pictures of their handiwork on social media. It’s taken on a weird life of its own and has successfully straddled the gulf between creative vandalism and pop art. “It’s very flattering and a little strange,” he says. “I never in a million years thought I’d see my face plastered on the Champs-Elysees!” Don’t believe it? Hop online and search for “Okamura sticker sightings” and prepare to be wowed. And while you’re there, check out geraldokamura.com for the latest and greatest on the man, the myth, the legend ... and the stickers.

Following the electrifying conclusion of UFC 303, UFC President Dana White addressed the media in a post-fight press conference White began by acknowledging the impressive performance of Alex Pereira, who secured a stunning knockout victory in the main event. He described Pereira as a "monster" and expressed excitement about the fighter's potential in the light heavyweight division. White also addressed questions regarding Pereira's potential move to heavyweight, stating his preference to see the fighter compete against more opponents in his current division before considering a change. During the press conference, White fielded a range of questions from the media, including inquiries about Conor McGregor's return, the upcoming fights at the Sphere in Las Vegas, and the future of Power Slap. While he remained tight-lipped about specific details regarding McGregor's comeback, White did confirm that discussions are ongoing and that an announcement will be made once McGregor is fully healed and ready to fight. When asked about the fight card for the Sphere event, White confirmed that announcements will be made soon, emphasizing the significant production efforts already underway to ensure a spectacular event. He expressed confidence that the Sphere will offer a unique and unparalleled experience for both live and pay-per-view audiences. On the topic of Power Slap, White affirmed his commitment to the new venture, highlighting the positive response it has received so far. He acknowledged the challenges of introducing a new sport but remained optimistic about its potential for growth and popularity. In addition to addressing media questions, White also made a few notable announcements during the press conference. He confirmed that the UFC is actively exploring international expansion opportunities, with a particular focus on Latin America. Additionally, White teased the possibility of a special event during International Fight Week, promising new and exciting experiences for fans. Overall, Dana White's UFC 303 post-fight press conference provided valuable insights into the organization's current landscape and future plans. While some details remain under wraps, the enthusiasm and confidence expressed by White suggest an exciting future for the UFC and its fans.

The May 1984 cover featured Karate Master and Champion Patrick McCarthy . Originally from Canada, McCarthy migrated to Japan during the mid 1980s, married and spent many years there before relocating to Australia in 1995. He is one of the few foreigners to teach karate-do in Japan, recognized worldwide as one of the foremost authorities on the civil fighting traditions of Okinawa. Japan-accredited instructor, he holds a Hanshi 9th Dan and is founding director of the International Ryukyu Karate Research Society.